On April 19, 2005, a number of academic and community based researchers from Ontario concerned with food security had a meeting at Ryerson University. This was a regional meeting to discuss developing a proposal for an interdisciplinary national research program. Participants decided to organize an association to promote critical, interdisciplinary scholarship in the broad areas of food production, distribution, and consumption. The proposed organization, the Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS), aimed to allow researchers from diverse disciplines working at universities as well as public and community based organizations to meet regularly to identify research priorities and to share research findings on diverse issues dealing with food security concerns.
Mission
The Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS) promotes critical, interdisciplinary scholarship in the broad area of food systems: food policy, production, distribution and consumption. CAFS recognizes the need for coordinated interdisciplinary research efforts in response to societal needs for informing policy makers, assessing the outcomes of community-based work, and demonstrating the environmental and social impacts of changes affecting food systems and food policies. Members are drawn from an array of disciplines including (but not limited to) adult education, agriculture, anthropology, economics, environmental studies, health studies, home economics, human nutrition, geography, philosophy, policy studies, public health, rural studies, sociology, social work and urban planning. Membership is open to academics, students, professionals and others interested in food studies research. CAFS encourages research that promotes local, regional, national, and global food security, but does not advocate or endorse specific policies or political platforms.
Study Groups
CAFS aims to create better communication and dialogue among its members. Given the diversity of interests among our members, we encourage CAFS members who share special interests or concerns to form study groups to have further discussions and debates within their group. We hope to create virtual discussion or chat rooms for study group interaction. We will post the names of study groups and their contact address in this space as these groups are formed. For further information please contact CAFS.
Executive Committee
The complete list of the CAFS Interim Excutive Committee is available here.